EP0166506B1 - Breakaway fluid system - Google Patents

Breakaway fluid system Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0166506B1
EP0166506B1 EP85302302A EP85302302A EP0166506B1 EP 0166506 B1 EP0166506 B1 EP 0166506B1 EP 85302302 A EP85302302 A EP 85302302A EP 85302302 A EP85302302 A EP 85302302A EP 0166506 B1 EP0166506 B1 EP 0166506B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
operating member
body part
annular
conduit
coupling
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP85302302A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0166506A3 (en
EP0166506A2 (en
Inventor
Russell L. Rogers
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Aeroquip AG
Original Assignee
Aeroquip AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Aeroquip AG filed Critical Aeroquip AG
Publication of EP0166506A2 publication Critical patent/EP0166506A2/en
Publication of EP0166506A3 publication Critical patent/EP0166506A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0166506B1 publication Critical patent/EP0166506B1/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16LPIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16L37/00Couplings of the quick-acting type
    • F16L37/22Couplings of the quick-acting type in which the connection is maintained by means of balls, rollers or helical springs under radial pressure between the parts
    • F16L37/23Couplings of the quick-acting type in which the connection is maintained by means of balls, rollers or helical springs under radial pressure between the parts by means of balls
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16LPIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16L37/00Couplings of the quick-acting type
    • F16L37/28Couplings of the quick-acting type with fluid cut-off means
    • F16L37/30Couplings of the quick-acting type with fluid cut-off means with fluid cut-off means in each of two pipe-end fittings
    • F16L37/32Couplings of the quick-acting type with fluid cut-off means with fluid cut-off means in each of two pipe-end fittings at least one of two lift valves being opened automatically when the coupling is applied
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16LPIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16L55/00Devices or appurtenances for use in, or in connection with, pipes or pipe systems
    • F16L55/10Means for stopping flow from or in pipes or hoses
    • F16L55/1015Couplings closed automatically when disengaging force exceeds preselected value
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10TTECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T137/00Fluid handling
    • Y10T137/6851With casing, support, protector or static constructional installations
    • Y10T137/6855Vehicle
    • Y10T137/6906Aerial or water-supported [e.g., airplane or ship, etc.]
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10TTECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T137/00Fluid handling
    • Y10T137/8593Systems
    • Y10T137/87917Flow path with serial valves and/or closures
    • Y10T137/87925Separable flow path section, valve or closure in each
    • Y10T137/87941Each valve and/or closure operated by coupling motion
    • Y10T137/87949Linear motion of flow path sections operates both

Definitions

  • Crashworthy couplings may utilise frangible components for maintaining the coupling parts connected during normal use, or reusable couplings may employ spring biased locking structures released by tension forces.
  • US-A-2 705 159 discloses a self-sealing breakaway fluid coupling in accordance with the prior art portion of claim 1.
  • the present invention as.,characterised in claim 1, provides a simplified structure particularly suited for use with flexible hose and providing a more reliable sealing action, particularly in its coupled state.
  • the preferred latching structure as later described in detail includes radially movable detents in the form of balls, the annular operating member acting as a retainer for radially positioning the ball detents in the locked condition of the coupling.
  • the spring which biases the operating member toward the detent retaining position is such that sufficient axial force imposed upon the conduit attached to the operating member displaces the operating member to permit release of the detents, and disengagement of the coupling parts.
  • the coupling is fluid tight, and the direct association of the conduit with the latch operating member produces a concise assembly of low cost and dependable operation.
  • the coupling 10 is illustrated as interconnecting tanks 12 and 14, such as fuel tanks of an aircraft.
  • the tank 12 includes a flexible hose conduit 16 while the tank 14 includes in its system a flexible hose conduit 18.
  • the coupling interconnects the flexible conduits 16 and 18, and it is the purpose of the coupling 10 to be crashworthy wherein upon impact and displacement of the tanks and tensioning of the hoses, the coupling releases with minimum fuel loss to reduce the fire hazard.
  • the coupling 10 includes annular body parts 20 and 22, and each body part includes a spider 24 supporting self-sealing valve structure biased toward a closed condition by a compression spring 26.
  • the valve 28 moves to the right, Fig. 1, to seal against the conical surface 30, while the valve 32 of the body part 22 seals against the conical surface 34.
  • a bridging insert 36 is placed between the valves as the body parts are coupled whereby interconnection of the body parts axially positions the valves 28 and 32 in their fully opened condition as represented in Fig. I.
  • the coupling latching structure includes a plurality of ball detents 37 retained within holes defined in the nose 38 of part 22, and such ball detents are well known in the coupling art.
  • An annular groove 40 is defined in the nose 41 of part 20 for receiving the ball detents 37 when the coupling parts are in the fully coupled position, and the detents are maintained within the groove 40 by an annular cylindrical retaining surface 42 defined upon the latch operating member 44.
  • the operating member 44 includes a groove 46 adjacent the retaining surface 42 for receiving the detents 37 to permit release thereof from the groove 40, and the member includes an outer region 48 which overlies the nose 41 of the part 20 and the part cylindrical surface 50.
  • the member 44 is biased toward the left, Fig. 1, by a compression spring 54 interposed between body part 22 and member 44 and the member is sealed to the body part 22 by sealed ring 56 engaging cylindrical surface 57 by member 44.
  • the inner end region of the member 44 includes an annular recess 58 and the flexible hose 18 is compressed into the recess and maintained therein by compression band 60 whereby a sealing relationship exists between the member 44 and the flexible hose 18.
  • the flexible hose 16 is sealingly attached to the cylindrical recess 62 defined on the body part 20, and compression band 64 assures a sealed relationship with the body part.
  • the bridging insert 36 is located between the valves 28 and 32, and the operating member 44 is manually moved. to the right to align the groove 46 with the ball detents 37.
  • the nose 41 may be inserted within the outer region 48 of the member 44 until the groove 40 aligns with the ball detents, and the member 44 may be released for movement to the left by the action of spring 54 permitting the oblique surface of the groove 46 to force the detents 37 into the groove 40, and aligning the ball detents with the retaining surface 2 to maintain the body parts locked in the fully coupled operative condition of Fig. 1.
  • the direct attachment of the hose 18 to the operating member 44 insures the desired releasing operation of the coupling, and minimizes the coupling structure required to achieve the desired result while maintaining a concise coupling configuration.
  • the operating member is sealed with respect to both body parts, no fluid loss will occur during normal conditions, and the coupling has a clean attractive appearance free of protuberances which might hamper the releasing operation.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Quick-Acting Or Multi-Walled Pipe Joints (AREA)

Description

  • Self-sealing "breakaway" fluid couplings are utilised in applications where tension forces applied to conduits will rupture the conduits, or associated fittings. Such couplings are used with agricultural equipment such as tractor-drawn farm implements having automatic releasing hitches, and breakaway couplings are often required by aircraft specifications for "crashworthy" fuel systems whereby fuel tanks are interconnected by breakaway couplings to prevent fuel loss during impact.
  • Crashworthy couplings may utilise frangible components for maintaining the coupling parts connected during normal use, or reusable couplings may employ spring biased locking structures released by tension forces.
  • It is an object of the invention to provide a breakaway or crashworthy fluid coupling which is dependable in operation and economical to manufacture and assemble.
  • US-A-2 705 159 discloses a self-sealing breakaway fluid coupling in accordance with the prior art portion of claim 1. As compared therewith, the present invention, as.,characterised in claim 1, provides a simplified structure particularly suited for use with flexible hose and providing a more reliable sealing action, particularly in its coupled state.
  • The preferred latching structure as later described in detail includes radially movable detents in the form of balls, the annular operating member acting as a retainer for radially positioning the ball detents in the locked condition of the coupling.
  • The spring which biases the operating member toward the detent retaining position is such that sufficient axial force imposed upon the conduit attached to the operating member displaces the operating member to permit release of the detents, and disengagement of the coupling parts.
  • As the operating member is sealed with respect to its associated body part, the coupling is fluid tight, and the direct association of the conduit with the latch operating member produces a concise assembly of low cost and dependable operation.
  • The aforementioned objects and advantages of the invention will be appreciated from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:
    • Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a coupling in accord with the invention illustrated in the interconnected locked condition, the upper half of the coupling being shown in section, and
    • Fig. 2 is an elevational detail view, partially sectioned illustrating the coupling components in a released condition during the initial stage of disengagement.
  • In the drawings, the coupling 10 is illustrated as interconnecting tanks 12 and 14, such as fuel tanks of an aircraft. The tank 12 includes a flexible hose conduit 16 while the tank 14 includes in its system a flexible hose conduit 18. The coupling interconnects the flexible conduits 16 and 18, and it is the purpose of the coupling 10 to be crashworthy wherein upon impact and displacement of the tanks and tensioning of the hoses, the coupling releases with minimum fuel loss to reduce the fire hazard.
  • The coupling 10 includes annular body parts 20 and 22, and each body part includes a spider 24 supporting self-sealing valve structure biased toward a closed condition by a compression spring 26. The valve 28 moves to the right, Fig. 1, to seal against the conical surface 30, while the valve 32 of the body part 22 seals against the conical surface 34.
  • A bridging insert 36 is placed between the valves as the body parts are coupled whereby interconnection of the body parts axially positions the valves 28 and 32 in their fully opened condition as represented in Fig. I.
  • The coupling latching structure includes a plurality of ball detents 37 retained within holes defined in the nose 38 of part 22, and such ball detents are well known in the coupling art.
  • An annular groove 40 is defined in the nose 41 of part 20 for receiving the ball detents 37 when the coupling parts are in the fully coupled position, and the detents are maintained within the groove 40 by an annular cylindrical retaining surface 42 defined upon the latch operating member 44.
  • The operating member 44 includes a groove 46 adjacent the retaining surface 42 for receiving the detents 37 to permit release thereof from the groove 40, and the member includes an outer region 48 which overlies the nose 41 of the part 20 and the part cylindrical surface 50. An annular seal 52 defined in the outer region of the member 44 sealingly slidingly engages the surface 50.
  • The member 44 is biased toward the left, Fig. 1, by a compression spring 54 interposed between body part 22 and member 44 and the member is sealed to the body part 22 by sealed ring 56 engaging cylindrical surface 57 by member 44.
  • The inner end region of the member 44 includes an annular recess 58 and the flexible hose 18 is compressed into the recess and maintained therein by compression band 60 whereby a sealing relationship exists between the member 44 and the flexible hose 18.
  • The flexible hose 16 is sealingly attached to the cylindrical recess 62 defined on the body part 20, and compression band 64 assures a sealed relationship with the body part.
  • To couple the body parts together the bridging insert 36 is located between the valves 28 and 32, and the operating member 44 is manually moved. to the right to align the groove 46 with the ball detents 37. Thereupon, the nose 41 may be inserted within the outer region 48 of the member 44 until the groove 40 aligns with the ball detents, and the member 44 may be released for movement to the left by the action of spring 54 permitting the oblique surface of the groove 46 to force the detents 37 into the groove 40, and aligning the ball detents with the retaining surface 2 to maintain the body parts locked in the fully coupled operative condition of Fig. 1.
  • In the event of a crash or impact sufficient to excessively tension the hoses 16 or 18, the direct attachment of the hose 18 to the operating member 44 will pull the operating member to the right upon body part 22 compressing spring 54, and upon the alignment of the groove 46 with the ball detents 37 the balls will be forced into the groove 46 and the body parts will uncouple. As the body parts uncouple, the springs 26 bias the valves 28 and 32 toward their seats 30 and 34, respectively, and the body parts will self-seal with minimal fuel loss.
  • The direct attachment of the hose 18 to the operating member 44 insures the desired releasing operation of the coupling, and minimizes the coupling structure required to achieve the desired result while maintaining a concise coupling configuration. As the operating member is sealed with respect to both body parts, no fluid loss will occur during normal conditions, and the coupling has a clean attractive appearance free of protuberances which might hamper the releasing operation.

Claims (2)

1. A self-sealing breakaway fluid coupling comprising first and second body parts (20, 22) each having a flow passage therethrough communicating between a conduit attachment end and a connecting end of the respective body part, a spring biased self-closing valve (28, 32) within each connecting end, said valves (28, 32) being mutually engageable to hold each other open upon the parts being interconnected, releasable locking means (37, 40, 42) interposed between said body parts for selectively locking the body parts in interconnected relationship, said locking means comprising an axially displaceable annular operating member (44) mounted on said second body part (32) for axial movement relative thereto between a locking position and a release position, annular sealing means (56) being provided to seal between the second body part and the operating member, and spring means (54) biasing the operating member toward its locking position, the operating member and second body part being axially relatively movable against said spring bias upon said body parts being urged apart, respective conduit connecting means being provided on the first body part and the operating member, characterised in that second annular sealing means (52) are carried by the operating member (44) to seal with the first body part (28) in the connected condition of the coupling, the conduits are hose conduits (16, 18), and the conduit connecting means respectively comprise an annular recess (62, 58) defined in the outer surface of the attachment ends of the first body part (28) and the operating member (44) and compression bands (64, 60) respectively cooperable with each recess (62, 58) for compressing respective hose conduit ends into said recesses in sealed relationship therewith.
2. A self-sealing breakaway fluid coupling as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said operating member (44) includes an outer open region encompassing a portion of said first body part (28) when said body parts are coupled and an inner region concentric to said second body part (32), said hose conduit (18) being sealingly affixed to said operating member inner region which includes a cylindrical inner surface, said second sealing means comprising an annular seal ring (56) mounted upon said second body part (32) engaging said cylindrical inner surface.
EP85302302A 1984-06-27 1985-04-02 Breakaway fluid system Expired EP0166506B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/624,957 US4549575A (en) 1984-06-27 1984-06-27 Breakaway fluid system
US624957 1984-06-27

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0166506A2 EP0166506A2 (en) 1986-01-02
EP0166506A3 EP0166506A3 (en) 1987-03-11
EP0166506B1 true EP0166506B1 (en) 1989-02-15

Family

ID=24504020

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP85302302A Expired EP0166506B1 (en) 1984-06-27 1985-04-02 Breakaway fluid system

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US4549575A (en)
EP (1) EP0166506B1 (en)
JP (1) JPS6124891A (en)
CA (1) CA1251235A (en)
MX (1) MX163558B (en)

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
USRE34381E (en) * 1985-05-29 1993-09-21 Axial locking device
GB2175949B (en) * 1985-05-29 1988-05-25 Austen Barnes Axial locking device
US5135029A (en) * 1990-07-12 1992-08-04 Dover Corporation Fuel hose breakaway unit
US6082401A (en) * 1995-01-06 2000-07-04 Colder Products Company Low spill high flow quick coupling valve assembly
JPH11500517A (en) * 1995-01-06 1999-01-12 コールダー・プロダクツ・カンパニー Low outflow high flow quick connect valve assembly
US6161578A (en) * 1996-10-09 2000-12-19 Colder Products Company Low spill high flow quick coupling valve assembly
GB2324419A (en) * 1997-04-19 1998-10-21 Peter John Firth Power and signal safety disconnector
EP1236948B1 (en) * 2001-02-28 2005-09-21 BN OPW S.r.l. A removable connection device for pipelines

Family Cites Families (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1345571A (en) * 1917-02-07 1920-07-06 Isko Company Pipe-coupling
US2674469A (en) * 1948-07-30 1954-04-06 Clarence E Earle Fluid coupling
US2705159A (en) * 1949-06-23 1955-03-29 Leo D Pfau Hose coupling
US2666656A (en) * 1950-12-20 1954-01-19 Earl F Bruning Breakaway coupling for fluid conduits
US2765181A (en) * 1952-01-14 1956-10-02 Aeroquip Corp Balanced valved self-sealing coupling
US2860893A (en) * 1955-05-09 1958-11-18 Snap Tite Inc Ball detent type coupling with break-away feature
US3097865A (en) * 1959-04-08 1963-07-16 Aeroquip Corp Quick release pipe joint
US3140102A (en) * 1962-11-23 1964-07-07 Erwin H Gebhart Releasable fluid line coupling
US3317220A (en) * 1963-04-15 1967-05-02 Earl F Bruning Releasable fluid coupling
US3409045A (en) * 1965-11-22 1968-11-05 Mackey Wallace Reed Coupling assembly
GB1153320A (en) * 1967-01-03 1969-05-29 F P T Ind Ltd Self Sealing Pipe Coupling
US3537478A (en) * 1968-10-29 1970-11-03 Aeroquip Corp Quick acting fluid coupling
US3567255A (en) * 1968-11-21 1971-03-02 Aeroquip Corp Quick acting fluid coupling
US3549175A (en) * 1968-12-06 1970-12-22 Aeroquip Corp Quick acting fluid coupling
GB1294847A (en) * 1970-08-12 1972-11-01
GB1482197A (en) * 1973-10-11 1977-08-10 Fpt Industries Couplings for units such as pipes and the like
DE2537407A1 (en) * 1975-08-22 1977-03-03 Agfa Gevaert Ag HOSE COUPLING
EP0100205B1 (en) * 1982-07-23 1987-05-20 Charles Rabushka Tension actuated uncoupler
US4543994A (en) * 1982-12-20 1985-10-01 Parker-Hannifin Corporation Rigid mount coupler

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0166506A3 (en) 1987-03-11
US4549575A (en) 1985-10-29
MX163558B (en) 1992-05-29
EP0166506A2 (en) 1986-01-02
CA1251235A (en) 1989-03-14
JPS6124891A (en) 1986-02-03

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